Say What? The Amazing NCAA RPI

[Vowelguy]

Then what purpose do they serve?

The RPI's purpose is to evaluate how a team has performed (solely in terms of W/L) against the competition it has played. It is not intended to predictive. It is intended to reward having a good w/l record against good competition. And the committee has a vested interested in it working that way -- it's easy to evaluate a team that has played a tough schedule; it's much harder to rate a team that has played no one. The RPI rewards the former and punishes the latter.

 

[willtalk]

Sheesh people! You are taking this far too seriously. RPI is just one factor of many that is used at seasons end to make decisions between teams who might be equal in all other respects. Whats wrong with that. It is never used as an exclusive measure of a teams ultimate strength. It's still early in the season. This is like trying to equate which team will win by the score 4 minutes into a game.

 

[trisailin]

The RPI's purpose is to evaluate how a team has performed (solely in terms of W/L) against the competition it has played. It is not intended to predictive. It is intended to reward having a good w/l record against good competition. And the committee has a vested interested in it working that way -- it's easy to evaluate a team that has played a tough schedule; it's much harder to rate a team that has played no one. The RPI rewards the former and punishes the latter.

So then let me ask: Which is the tougher schedule?
You are team #50, you play 49 and 51 (results expected ???).... -or-
You are team #50 and you play team #1 and 99 (expect one W, one L)
Which team should be "rewarded"?
Since you can't tell which is the tougher schedule, I argue RPI is silly

 

[PalPa]

I realize the RPI is extremely inaccurate this early in the year, and maybe even at the end of the year, but teams like

#6 Middle Tenn
#7 UC Riverside
#8 Southern Utah
#10 Lehigh

must enjoy being a top 10 team. Chances are they may drop in the ranking by seasons end.

 

[Vowelguy]

So then let me ask: Which is the tougher schedule?
You are team #50, you play 49 and 51 (results expected ???).... -or-
You are team #50 and you play team #1 and 99 (expect one W, one L)
Which team should be "rewarded"?
Since you can't tell which is the tougher schedule, I argue RPI is silly

_Every_ ratings system is implicitly evaluating (and rewarding) schedule strength. If you don't believe it can be done, then you reject ALL ratings.

 

[pinotbear]

Both USC's are ahead of UConn. Perhaps UConn changes its name to University of Southern Connecticut?

too late, already taken!
Meet da Owls!
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...prsuWP8dAr9p21U_g=&docid=Yc6Rpnb6wEJH0M&itg=1

Had a former softball player of mine go here on scholarship. Did pretty well - the Owls are a decent softball program.